Ct's landscape if so fragmented by roads, that if you see a turtle crossing a roadway, please slow down, it really may be the difference between life and death
New Bill Aims to Stop Commercial Turtle Harvesting In Minnesota
With the exception of the Common Snapping Turtle, Painted Turtle, or Spiny Softshell Turtle, native turtles may not be sold as pets in the State of Minnesota.
This bill was originally proposed back in 2019, and aims to end the exception for those three turtles, which would ultimately result in the end of commercial harvesting in Minnesota.
The main argument for the end of commercial harvesting of turtles has to do with sustainability. Currently, a license is needed to partake, but there is no turtle limit for commercial harvesters. Turtles have very long life spans, and can take a decade or more to fully mature. If they are over-harvested, that means there won t be enough adult turtles to repopulate the species at the rate needed and can result in extinction.